Gear secured - now we just need a poke in the right direction.
From whom?
Well, there's only two people in town, so you may as well ask both of them.
What did they say?
The Knight said he didn't meet any explorers near red lakes, but that they must have come through here.
The dwarf would only tell us about the scholar in exchange for 'something nice'.
Something nice?
Something nice. What would a dwarf be interested in?
Don't go there - the solution is nothing to do with height.
Can I get a nudge in the right direction?
He's quite defensive of one of the things in his home. Try clicking around to see what it is, or see the quickhint if you're struggling.
Beard dye near the window is, apparently, his prized possession.
How does this help me?
If the beard dye had an unfortunate accident, he'd be in need of some more of the stuff.
Unfortunate accident?
Do you remember Geron's special ability?
It's smashing.
What do I do?
Use Geron's smashing ability on the beard dye, then left-click to get a closer... smell.
Our new objective is to recreate the beard dye.
What do I need?
1 - Something to match its colour. 2 - Something to mash it up. 3 - Something to mash it up in. 4 - A container for the concoction.
What gives the dye its colour?
Geron's nose tells him that the dye 'smells like juniper berries', and our eyes tell us that it's noticeably blue.
See if you can find some blue berries in the town's own greenery.
I can't see any berries.
Look to the bush in the western tower; 'oneberries' are apparently quite blue.
Naturally, Geron's arms are too short to reach them.
You aren't looking for something to extend your reach this time.
What am I looking for?
A little help from your friends.
Preferably ones that don't have much difficulty reaching high places.
Tell me how to get the berries.
Ask the raven sitting atop the wagon for help, then grab the berries from the table.
How do I mash them up?
Medieval-style - with a makeshift mortar and pestle!
What will do the mashing?
Something wooden and expendable.
You're best looking around the wagon where we've already found some useful-yet-bizarre things.
What will do the mortar-ing?
Something metal and concave.
You'll find it in the same place as the pestle.
Tell me what to grab.
Inside the wagon, grab the drumstick from the shelf beneath the bed.
Be sure to grab the lid from the floor on the left, too.
What kind of container do I need?
Something convincing; this is supposed to be a 'nice' bottle of beard-oil, after all.
We don't know anyone with 'exaggerated' facial hair, but were technically sharing a living space with them.
Tell me where to find the container.
Still inside of the wagon, you'll find a fancy tin bottle on the bed.
The implication that this belonged to the carny's late husband is heartbreaking - and great subtle storytelling!
What now?
Put it all together - berries in the lid, mashed up with the drumstick, then poured into the bottle.
Hopefully the dwarf will be fooled when you hand it over.
What now?
When you've squeezed all the information out of the dwarf, it's time to get back on the road.
Click on the horse in the path to get a move on.
Buy me a coffee